Travel with Ease: Locals share tips for navigating your next trip

Larry and Betty Essner are seasoned travelers who travel across the United States to visit their children and grandchildren. They have children who live in Denver; Boston; Orlando, Fla.; and Columbia, Mo. Larry and Betty fly often to see their family members, taking weekend trips for their grandchildrens’ school events, sports games, or holidays and celebrations.

Since Larry and Betty travel frequently, they have found it beneficial to create a relationship with the companies they travel through, including flight companies, hotels and booking companies.

“Use one company, per se, like with us flying Southwest, we get points for Southwest Airlines,” Larry says. “You’re using their services, and they reward you for that.”

Larry and Betty stay loyal to the companies they use in travel, but they also are not afraid to branch out, as they say being flexible is a benefit when traveling. However, when they do try new things, such as booking an Airbnb rather than staying with family or in a hotel, they say it is important to read the reviews and provider details.

Betty suggests traveling only with a carry-on bag when flying, because it makes the flight go smooth- er and ensures the traveler doesn’t have to wait for checked bags or risk luggage being lost.

Cape Girardeau Regional Airport manager Katrina Amos says travelers can ask for wheelchair or baggage assistance when traveling through airports.

In addition, traveling through smaller airports can help travelers feel less overwhelmed. For example, the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport has a more accommodating nature than some bigger airports because of its size and personability, Amos says.

“Starting your journey at a smaller airport is certainly a way to ease your travel stress,” Amos says. “It’s just much more accommodating. You don’t have as far to go, whether it be to the security checkpoints or getting on the aircraft, and there are less steps to get to that point.”

Amos suggests arriving at any airport at least two hours before the scheduled flight.

“That is really to help you ensure that you’re able to go through all the necessary steps to prevent any- thing to keep you from making it to the gate in time,” Amos says.

Research is a huge part of preparation when traveling, Amos says; it is important to ensure liquids are packed correctly and to know the number of bags allowed on a flight. It is also important to download travel apps and save bookings ahead of time to make the trip go smoother.

Travel is important to people of retirement age because it helps them to get out of a sedentary state, where they can learn about other cultures, see their family or mark off bucket list destinations, says Elite Travel president Carolyn Sandgren Kempf.

Sandgren Kempf cites statistics from the Leisure Care website that state, “Women who take vacations at least twice a year are less likely to experience stress or depression, and men who take annual vacations are 32% less likely to die from heart disease.”

To ensure the best travel experiences, Sandgren Kempf suggests going through a travel agent when booking or researching upcoming trips. Sandgren Kempf says planning for travels can be stressful for some people, so allowing someone else to make those decisions will help to keep the entire process as relax- ing as possible, as travel is something to be enjoyed.

Traveling is great for mental and physical health, according to Sandgren Kempf. She says seniors are likely to be more active when they are traveling than when they stay at home.

“We’re never promised tomorrow,” Sandgren Kempf says. “I think COVID taught us that our ability to move throughout the world and to experience different things is never something you should take for granted.”